Bills signed on school CPR, allergy drugs

From: Green Valley News and Sun

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has signed bills allowing schools to offer CPR classes and requiring them to stock injectable drugs for use if a student has a severe allergic reaction.

Senate Bill 1421 signed Thursday requires regular and charter schools to stock two juvenile doses and two adult doses of injectable epinephrine (eh-PEN'-eh-frihn) at each school if the Legislature provides the money. Policies and training for staff also are required.

Backers argued schools need to stock the drugs in case a child who has an undiagnosed allergy has a reaction.

Senate Bill 1337 encourages schools to provide CPR training to students in grades 7 through 12. An earlier version of the bill made the training mandatory but it was amended to allow voluntary compliance. Backers argued it would save lives.